WORLD RELATIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 31, 5 August 1943, Page 4

WORLD RELATIONS

BUILDING THE PEACE

Understanding, between the Englishspeaking democracies was an indispensable starting point for that wider grasp of world relations so essential if peace was to be built on an enduring basis, stated the twentieth annual report of the Wellington branch of. the English-speaking Union, presented at the annual meeting last night. With each successive stage of the war, British-American relations acquired a fresh urgency, our Armed Forces embodying the active partnership of the two peoples. . / Our leaders met in constant and' fruitful conference, the report continued, but the responsibility could not be theirs alone. If the Atlantic Charter was to mean anything to the sons and daughters of the world, then all j must play their part in giving reality ito this "century of the common man." Mutual confidence could? alone be founded on sound understanding between the. two peoples.. As members of the English-speaking Union they were charged with these specific responsibilities, but their obligations went further. These must be translated into a policy to this end: "That through us, the people in every walk of life who are the bulwark of democratic conviction must have a background of understanding." There was abundant evidence of growing interest in the task of achieving not merely greater good will, but a better-informed public opinion. New links, both individual ; and corporate, were being forged between the United States and the British Commonwealth. ■ Just as the English-speaking Union was the pioneer in endeavouring to bridge the Atlantic and, here in the Dominion, the Pacific, too, so it must exert all its efforts and influence to ensure that the work henceforth was crowned with a successful and enduring conclusion. Within the framework of the union, there had been established an institute for British-Ameri-can understanding and during the new year, as information came from Leadquarters, members of the union would have the opportunity of breaking new ground for the attainment of their objective. . ■ ~ There was a steady increase in the number of men members, added the report, the total being 463. The men's luncheon gatherings each month continued to stimulate interest and on many occasions men of the. United States forces had attended. Officers were elected as follows:— President, Dr. A. Gillies; deputy president, Mr. J. T. Martin; vice-presidents, Mrs. H. L. Cummings, Mrs. J. Benme, Lady Pomare, Mrs. K. Preston, Mrs. H. J. Rule; executive committee, Mesdames W. Burge, A. Burnard, W. Burton, D. Carrington, E. D. Good, A. Simpson, J. S. Vinsen, L. Jacobsen, E. Williams, M. Watkins, Messrs. E. Anscombe. R. C. Burton. M. Burnett, R. G. C. Ffitch, A. Hurdley, R. A. Glen, C. Spratt, L. H. Wood, W. N. Waugh, Major J. R. Kirk. j